Molded dispensing closure with biasing hinge assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11840382-B2
Application number	US-202117504003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2021
Priority date	Aug 30, 2021
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A closure includes a pivoting closure cap and a closure base configured to more easily align and securely pivot open without uncoupling. In various embodiments, the pivoting closure cap includes a pair of hinge assemblies including hinge pins pivotable between a closed position and an open position where the pivoting closure cap is opened for pouring. The closure base includes a pair of hinge pin receivers with a hinge pin sockets. The hinge pins located and rotatable within the sockets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure comprising:
a pivoting closure cap including an upper surface and a lower surface;
a hinge assembly extending downward from the pivoting closure cap including a support member including a top end connected to the cap and extending to a bottom end, a truncated hinge pin extending generally perpendicular to and from the lower end of the support member to a distal end and a detent rib extending upwardly from the pin toward the top end; and
a closure base including a hinge pin receiver having a receiver top and a receiver bottom, the receiver including an elongated hinge pin socket formed in the receiver proximate the receiver bottom, the hinge pin socket extending through an inner surface of a wall of the closure base and a detent groove extending from the pin socket toward the receiver top, the hinge pin being located and rotatable within the socket;
wherein the closure cap pivots relative to the closure base between a closed position in which the detent rib rests within the detent groove and an open position in which the detent rib rests outside of the detent groove.

2. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting closure includes a second hinge assembly including a second truncated hinge pin, the truncated hinge pins having the same rotational axis, the closure base including a second hinge pin receiver for receiving the second hinge pin.

3. The closure of claim 2 , wherein the pivoting closure includes a push pad and pivots from the closed position to the open position when a force is applied to the push pad, the force being of a magnitude to move the detent rib from within the detent groove.

4. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin receiver further includes a first tapered pin guide extending from the receiver bottom toward the receiver top along one side of the pin socket and a second tapered pin guide extending from the receiver bottom toward the receiver top along the other side of the pin socket to facilitate engagement of the hinge pins with the hinge pin sockets.

5. The closure of claim 4 , the hinge pin receiver further including a cam surface located at the receiver bottom and adjacent to the socket, the bottom end of the hinge assembly bearing against the cam surface such that when the closure cap is pivoted open, the closure cap is simultaneously lifted during pivoting.

6. The closure of claim 5 , wherein the hinge pin includes a tab extending from the distal end of the hinge pin toward the top end of the support member, the tab engaging the respective hinge pin socket to retain the hinge pin within the socket while the closure cap is pivoted and simultaneously lifted.

7. A closure comprising:
a pivoting closure cap including an upper surface and a lower surface;
a pair of hinge assemblies extending downward from opposing sides of the pivoting closure cap and having the same rotational axis, each hinge assembly including a support member including a top end connected to the cap and extending to a bottom end, a truncated hinge pin extending generally perpendicular to and from the lower end of the support member to a distal end and a detent rib extending upwardly from the pin toward the top end; and
a closure base including an opposing pair of hinge pin receivers positioned on opposing inner surfaces of the closure base, each hinge pin receiver having a receiver top and a receiver bottom, each receiver including an elongated hinge pin socket formed in the receiver proximate the receiver bottom and a detent groove extending from the pin socket toward the receiver top, the hinge pins being located and rotatable within the sockets;
wherein the closure cap pivots relative to the closure base between a closed position in which the detent ribs rest within the detent grooves and an open position in which the detent ribs rest outside of the detent grooves.

8. The closure of claim 7 , wherein the pivoting closure includes a push pad and pivots from the closed position to the open position when a force is applied to the push pad, the force being of a magnitude to move the detent ribs from within the detent grooves.

9. The closure of claim 7 , the pair of hinge pin receiver further including a pair of cam surfaces located at the receiver bottom and adjacent to the hinge pin sockets, the bottom end of the hinge assemblies bearing against the cam surfaces such that when the closure cap is pivoted open, the closure cap is simultaneously lifted during pivoting.

10. The closure of claim 9 , the pivoting closure cap further including a cylindrical cap plug extending downward from the lower surface.

11. The closure of claim 10 , the closure base further defining a fluid channel, wherein the cylindrical cap plug rests within the fluid channel when the closure is in a closed position.

12. The closure of claim 11 , the base closure further including a pour spout formed in the closure base, the pour spout positioned at least partially around and extending upward from the fluid channel.

13. The closure of claim 12 , wherein the lift provided to the closure cap during pivoting lifts the cylindrical cap plug out of the fluid channel when the closure is in an open position such that a fluid can travel through the fluid channel and pour from the spout.

14. The closure of claim 9 , wherein the pair of hinge pins each include a tab extending from the distal end of the hinge pin toward the top end of the support member, the tabs engaging the respective hinge pin sockets to retain the pair of hinge pins within the sockets while the closure cap is pivoted and simultaneously lifted.

15. The closure of claim 7 , wherein the hinge pin receivers further include a first tapered pin guide extending from the receiver bottom toward the receiver top along one side of the pin socket and a second tapered pin guide extending from the receiver bottom toward the receiver top along the other side of the pin socket to facilitate engagement of the hinge pins with the hinge pin sockets.

16. A closure comprising:
a pivoting closure cap including an upper surface and a lower surface;
a pair of hinge assemblies extending downward from opposing sides of the pivoting closure cap and having the same rotational axis, each hinge assembly including a support member including a top end connected to the cap and extending to a bottom end, a truncated hinge pin extending generally perpendicular to and from the lower end of the support member to a distal end and a detent rib extending upwardly from the pin toward the top end;
a cylindrical cap plug extending downward from the lower surface of the pivoting closure cap;
a closure base including an opposing pair of hinge pin receivers each having a receiver top and a receiver bottom, each receiver including an elongated hinge pin socket formed in the receiver proximate the receiver bottom and a detent groove extending from the pin socket toward the receiver top, the hinge pins being located and rotatable within the sockets, the closure base defining a fluid channel positioned such that the cylindrical cap plug rests within the fluid channel when the closure is in a closed position; and
a pour spout formed in the closure base, the pour spout positioned at least partially around and extending upward from the fluid channel;
wherein the closure cap pivots relative to the closure base between the closed position in which the detent ribs rest within the detent grooves and an open position in which the detent ribs rest outside of the detent grooves;
wherein the pair of hinge pin receiver further include a pair of cam surfaces located at the receiver bottom and adjacen

Assignees

• Silgan White Cap LLC

Inventors

• Berge Gary

Classifications

• B65D51/18 Primary

  Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures {(B65D51/247 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65D47/2006

  formed by a rigid spout outlet opened by tilting of the spout outlet · CPC title

• B65D2251/0021

  of the B65D43/16-type · CPC title

• B65D2251/0078

  of the 41-type · CPC title

• B65D2251/1066

  Actuating means · CPC title